Five Senses Observation
Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is happening in the present moment.
Most often when we consider mindfulness, we think about our own thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and behaviors in the moment. It is also important for us to notice what is happening in our environment, as our environment has the ability to impact both our thoughts and our emotional states.
This exercise stretches our ability to observe and notice. Wherever you are, make a concerted effort to become curious about your environment and use all your senses.
See. What do you see? What are the shapes, colors, and textures? Look up. Look down. Intentionally shift your eyes to areas of the space you wouldn’t normally see. For example, what would be at eye level if you were a young child? Can you simply see without judging?
Hear. What do you hear? Listen for the obvious sounds and then shift your hearing so you can listen to the background sounds that you normally filter out. Can you distinguish the layers of sound in the environment? Can you simply hear without judging?
Smell. What do you smell? Can you notice any smells in the area where you are? Can you simply smell without judging?
Feel. What do you feel? Can you feel the contours of the place in which you’re sitting? What textures can you feel against your skin? Can you simply feel without judging?
Taste. What do you taste? Are there any flavors you can describe? Can you simply taste without judging?
Sense. What do you sense? Beyond the five senses you just explored, what else do you feel or notice about your environment? What do the “vibes” tell you?
Take a moment to note your experiences in a journal. Were you able to let information into your senses without judgement? Did you notice a tendency to attach significance to something?